#PlowTheSidewalks
The fight continues.
The #PlowTheSidewalks campaign has been a result of years of organizing and boldly challenging our leaders to deliver unfettered mobility in the winter. Together, we fought to pass an ordinance mandating the City to design a pilot program – of which that report was released in May of 2024. After Mayor Johnson chose to leave the pilot program out of the City’s 2025 budget, we organized and clawed back partial funding.
Unfortunately, in that same budget, Mayor Johnson cut a deal in exchange for a budget vote that meant he would require us to pass another ordinance to give the pilot a green light. The Mayor’s office will claim that this was required by law – but that is not true. It was purely political.
This set off a chain of parliamentary tricks and political games by a subset of alderpeople who worked to delay any vote on the program for months, and ultimately to vote it down on October 3rd, 2025 – the same day that many of the supporting alders were absent responding to ICE raids, and one even being illegally arrested by ICE. And, some alders who had previously supported either abandoned their vote, or changed their vote without any explanation.
This is deeply disappointing. But we’re not done fighting. Join us in raising your voice – send an email to tell the Mayor and City Council that you are not happy about their decision to curb this pilot, and that you demand they move forward.
As Chicagoans, we pride ourselves in being hardy during the winter months, carrying on no matter the weather.
But the reality of how we clear snow in our city tells a different story: while the City has taken on the responsibility of clearing streets of snow and debris for drivers, it leaves clearing sidewalks of snow and ice up to adjacent property owners.
The job just doesn’t get done. One block might be clear, but the next covered in snow and ice. Mounds of snow get piled up at bus stops. Crosswalks get plowed in by the City – and City departments just point fingers.
That’s why we’re calling on the City of Chicago to make sidewalk snow and ice removal a municipal service.
Learn more about the pilot
The pilot ordinance for #PlowTheSidewalks took into account various metrics to select different zones across the city.
With this tool, you can explore how different metrics impact what zones would look like to keep equity at the forefront, while still taking into account the wide breath of neighborhoods and populations this program will ultimately need to service. By factoring in age, income, density, disability, and other variables, we identified pilot zones that will give us a real understanding of the operational needs required for universal expansion, and allow us to showcase the strength of the initiative when introduced in a broad range of communities.
Failing to clear sidewalks of snow and ice means the City fails its residents who rely on them to get around – often some of our most vulnerable neighbors. It traps people who use wheelchairs, walkers or canes. It impedes parents with strollers. It makes accessing public transit difficult to impossible. And it leaves everyone at risk of slipping and falling.
It’s a problem of priorities and policy, not snowfall levels or funding.
By embracing responsibility for clearing the sidewalks, the City can coordinate its existing plans for bike lanes and streets, ensuring that all residents can get around safely – regardless of their mobility needs or choices.
To accomplish this, we’re asking alderpeople to:
Support a citywide municipal sidewalk snow and ice removal program
Push for a pilot program ordinance to be introduced into city council
Press the Chicago Department of Transportation on the current policy’s failures
It’s common practice elsewhere in the United States and Canada to make sidewalk snow clearance a municipal responsibility. Fortunately, that means Chicago has examples to learn from, like Rochester, NY, and Syracuse. Toronto and Montreal – Canada’s two largest cities – both clear snow from sidewalks as a municipal service. Locally, both Forest Park and Wilmette clear the sidewalks.
It is time for the City of Chicago to stop shirking responsibility and begin clearing public sidewalks.
Whether you walk, roll, bike, take transit, or drive – clear sidewalks keep you moving safely.
Act now and email your alderperson asking them to support making sidewalk snow and ice removal a municipal service – and to support a pilot program for this winter.
We’re proud to have the support of:
City Council:
1st Ward - Ald. Daniel La Spata
4th Ward - Ald. Lamont Robinson
5th Ward - Ald. Desmon Yancy
6th Ward - Ald. William Hall
12th Ward - Ald. Julia Ramirez
14th Ward - Ald. Jeylu Gutierrez
20th Ward - Ald. Jeanette Taylor
21st Ward - Ald. Ronnie Mosley
22nd Ward - Ald. Michael Rodriguez
23rd Ward - Ald. Silvana Tabares
24th Ward - Ald. Monique Scott
25th Ward - Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez
26th Ward - Ald. Jessie Fuentes
30th Ward - Ald. Ruth Cruz
31st Ward - Ald. Felix Cardona Jr.
33rd Ward - Ald. Rossana Rodriguez
35th Ward – Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa
36th Ward - Ald. Gilbert Villegas (ordinance sponsor)
40th Ward - Ald. Andre Vasquez
43rd Ward - Ald. Timmy Knudsen
44th Ward - Ald. Bennett Lawson
46th Ward - Ald. Angela Clay
47th Ward - Ald. Matt Martin
48th Ward - Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth
49th Ward - Ald. Maria Hadden
50th Ward - Ald. Debra Silverstein
Organizations:
Access Living
AARP - Illinois
Active Transportation Alliance
AIDS Foundation Chicago
Center for Neighborhood Technology
Chicago, Bike Grid Now!
Chicago Family Biking
Chicago Jobs with Justice
Commuters Take Action
Elevated Chicago
Equiticity
Freedom to Move Coalition
Impact for Equity
Independent Drivers Guild of Illinois
Indivisible Lincoln Square
Jewish Council of Urban Affairs
Lurie Children’s Hospital
Metropolitan Planning Council
Northwest Center
Palenque LSNA
Shared Use Mobility Center
Sierra Club Chicago
The Southwest Collective
Transportation Equity Network
Urban Environmentalists Illinois
Westside Justice Center
To join our growing list of supporters and partners, please fill out this form.